(Pottawattamie County, Iowa) — Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie COunty report Deputies and multiple fire departments were dispatched at around 4:05-p.m., Tuesday, to an accident in the area of Juniper Road and Jasper Lane, near McClelland, that involved a train and a vehicle. When first responders arrived, they discovered the vehicle was occupied by two adults and three juveniles. Authorities say the three juveniles appeared to have been unharmed. The two adults were extricated from the vehicle. Both were transported to the hospital. One of the adults was transported by helicopter ambulance.

As of 9-a.m. today (Wednesday), authorities said they had not received any updates on the condition of the two adults. No one on the train was hurt. Due to the seriousness of the crash, Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Accident investigators responded to the scene. Authorities say the accident remains under investigation.

Agencies assisting at the crash scene included the Underwood, McClelland, Treynor and Lewis Fire Departments, and the Iowa State Patrol.

(Radio Iowa) – The January 15th Iowa Caucuses are just two months away. Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann says over 10-thousand Republican volunteers will run the more than 16-hundred precinct meetings. “I think there’s the makings for a record setting Caucus here,” Kaufmann says. “A lot of this is anecdotal, of course. There’s no way for sure way to predict this kind of thing, but the energy that we’re hearing, the activity levels of the candidates that are still in the Caucus and I think there’s a general concern about where our country’s heading.”

Nearly 187-thousand Republicans participated in the 2016 Iowa Caucuses, a record. In 2024, Iowa Republican Caucus-goers will follow past practice and simply cast a straw poll ballot and those slips of paper will be counted in the room. Each campaign may have an observer watch the counting. The tallies from each precinct will be reported to the state party and Kaufmann says the results will be posted on a public website.

“It’s going to be as close to real time as we can make it and every single vote will have a paper trail and every single vote can be audited and will be audited within two days,” Kaufmann says. “In fact, in 2016 we got that job done despite a blizzard.” Republican officials at the county level decide what to use for the straw poll ballots and most will be using blank sheets of paper, but Kaufmann says a few will hand Caucus-goers a sheet with candidate names printed on it.

Republicans will be conducting some party business at their Caucuses, but people will be able to leave after casting that straw poll ballot. “And that’s o.k., just so they’re there on January 15,” Kaufmann says. You have to be a registered Republican and vote in person that night.

Iowa Democrats plan to hold in-person Caucuses on January 15th, too, but national party leaders decided South Carolina Democrats will vote first in their party’s presidential nominating process. Iowa Democrats will conduct party business at their 2024 Caucuses and the party has established a mail-in system for presidential preference cards. The results, though, won’t be announced until March.

(Radio Iowa) – U-S Senator Joni Ernst addressed the tens of thousands who gathered at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for the March for Israel. “Israel, the United States will always have your back,” Ernts said, to cheers. Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, was part of a bipartisan group preparing to meet in the Middle East to discuss improved relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia when Hamas attacked Israelis who live near Gaza.

“What Iran-backed Hamas perpetrated on October 7th was pure evil and those monsters deserve nothing short of complete and total destruction,” Ernst said, to cheers. Ernst, who met in Israel with victims of the attack three days later, did not directly mention the timing for an aide package for Israel that has not yet made its way through congress, but she told the crowd Republicans and Democrats in the U-S Senate will stand with Israel. She also denounced antisemitism in the U-S.

House Speaker Johnson, House Minority Leader Jeffries and U.S. Senator Ernst on stage at the March for Israel rally on Nov. 14, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Senator Ernst’s office)

“We will not sit quiet,” Ernst yelled, and the crowd cheered before she finished her sentence with, “as antisemitism is being promulgated in classrooms and campuses around the country.” Rally organizers planned the event as a response to protests that have denounced Israel’s actions in Gaza.

(Radio Iowa) – A new report from the American Lung Association shows some improvement in the number of high-risk Iowans who are being screened for lung cancer, but the rate of new lung cancer cases in Iowa is higher than the national average. Kristina Hamilton is advocacy director for the American Lung Association of Iowa  “Iowa still has one of the highest rates of radon in the country,” Hamilton says. “…Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.”

Iowa ranks 37th among the states in the number of new cancer cases annually. The five-year survival rate for Iowans with lung cancer is nearly two percent lower than the national average. Just over seven percent of Iowans who are at higher risk for lung cancer are being screened.  “Which is significantly higher than the national average of only 4.5%,” Hamilton says. In addition to smoking, having tuberculosis or being exposed to radiation or to chemicals like radon and asbestos raise the risk of developing lung cancer. Exposure to second hand smoke is another risk factor.

A low dose C-T scan produces a detailed picture of lungs and can detect the cancer is its early stages. “Early detection really does save lives,” Hamilton says, “so we want to emphasize awareness about the availability of lung cancer screening and encourage those who are qualify and are high risk to be screened.”

The American Lung Association is urging congress to pass the Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act. If a doctor recommends a lung cancer screening, the bill would prohibit Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies from requiring prior authorization for it. Lung cancer is the second most common cancer among men and women in the U-S — but is by far the leading cause of cancer deaths in the America.

(Creston, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Union County report a car struck a calf on the road Monday night, causing $2,500 damage to the vehicle, but the driver, 30-year-old Mikayla Rayne Nixt, of Creston, was not injured. The accident happened as Nixt was driving a 2009 Chevy Impala southbound on REA Road at around 11:42-p.m.

The calf was struck in the middle of the road near the Dennis Leith residence. Leith owns the calf and responded to the scene. The animal was injured, but still alive. Leith dealt with the calf and got it off the road.

Nixt was able to drive her vehicle home and called the sheriff’s office to inform them of the accident. No citations were issued.

(Radio Iowa) – The northwest Iowa town of Akron -may- have a mayor-elect. There was no candidate listed for Mayor of Akron on last week’s ballot. Current Mayor Alex Pick, who did not seek reelection, had the highest number of write-in votes, but he informed the Plymouth County Auditor by mail that he was declining election to the post. There was a tie for second place so, following the county’s election ordinance, those two names were written on slips of paper and one name was drawn out of a hat by Supervisor Gary Horton, who represents Akron on the county board. Horton drew the name of Joel Higman. If Higman declines, Akron’s city council would choose a new mayor.

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No candidate filed to run for an open seat on Estherville’s City Council in last week’s election, so the Emmet County Board of Supervisors has conducted a drawing to determine which write-in candidate will join the council. Ten write-in votes were cast for the Ward I council seat during the November 7th. election. Three candidates — Will Breck, Robert Leifeld and Anthony Condon — each received two votes. Anthony Condon’s name was drawn for a hat during the Emmet County Supervisor’s first canvas of the election. Condon was present and said he would serve on the council. Condon served for many years on the Estherville Lincoln Central School Board.

(Rural Shenandoah, Iowa) – A semi tractor-trailer rollover accident Tuesday afternoon, northwest of Shenandoah, claimed the life of the vehicle’s driver. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2019 Mack tractor-trailer driven by 67-year-old James Herman Kinney, of Council Bluffs, was traveling north on 370th Avenue, south of 150th St., when it partially left the road.

The semi traveled onto the right shoulder for several hundred feet and then left the road to the right. When Kinney over-corrected back on to the road, the weight shifted in the trailer, causing the tractor and trailer to overturn onto its right side in the traveled portion of northbound 370th Street. The accident happened at around 12:10-p.m.

After Kinney was freed from his seat belt, life saving measures were immediately performed, but he died from his injuries at the Shenandoah Hospital. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Fremont and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Offices, and Shenandoah Rescue.

AMES, Iowa – Nov. 14, 2023 – The Iowa Transportation Commission today approved $10 million for the Commercial Service Terminal Program. Among the projects are those located in Council Bluffs, Creston, Sioux City and Harlan.

The Commercial Service Terminal Program will provide $10 million for commercial service airport terminal improvements. In Sioux City, the Sioux Gateway Airport was allocated $132,812 from the State toward the $132,000 cost of constructing T-Hangars.  The program is funded through an appropriation from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund. To be eligible, applicant airports were required to provide a 90 percent local match that did not include the use of federal funds. A grant was awarded toward the new airport terminal at the Des Moines International Airport (DSM).

Airport Development Projects awarded funding include: The Council Bluffs Municipal Airport, $267,000 to construct a Hangar Site development Area (total cost $668,000), and $8,000 for the Creston Municipal Airport, for an Obstruction Analysis and Mitigation Plan (total cost $10,000).  Among the General Aviation Vertical Infrastructure Projects, the Harlan Municipal Airport was awarded $125,000 from the ITC for the installation of new Hangar doors. The total project cost is $150,000.

Iowa DOT Aviation Director Tim McClung notes the new airport terminal project at DSM will replace an outdated terminal and add six new gates to increase capacity. “Airports are critical to supporting Iowa’s economy. This enhancement will improve the passenger experience and will better position the airport to meet air service demands for the future.”

Details on the Iowa DOT’s State Aviation Program can be viewed at  https://iowadot.gov/aviation/airport-managers-and-sponsors/State-Funding/state-funding-programs. Additional information regarding aviation in Iowa is available at www.iowadot.gov/aviation.

AMES, Iowa – Carter Oliver, Director of ISU Extension and Outreach in Harrison County, was recognized for his excellence in county extension work during the 2023 Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension and Outreach conference held Oct. 16-17 in Ames.

With a background in conservation, Oliver is passionate about bringing natural resource education to Iowans of all ages. Officials say Oliver has worked tirelessly to deliver programs on conservation topics ranging from water to fire. Over the last four years, he has delivered the Water Rocks! curriculum to fourth and fifth grade students in four schools across Harrison County, with pre- and post-surveys indicating an average increase in watershed knowledge from 49% to 94% following participation.

“Water quality is an important focus in Iowa with the creation of the Nutrient Reduction Strategy,” added Terry Torneten, regional director for ISU Extension and Outreach. “He educates the students on watersheds and does hands-on activities showing the effect of pollution in rivers.”

Jay Harmon (Left) presents Carter Oliver with his award.

Another youth program that Oliver helped bring to Harrison County is the Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP), which meets biweekly throughout the winter and spring to prepare for the state competition. Oliver serves as co-leader for the program and was a volunteer for the National WHEP competition held in Iowa this summer.

Oliver has also brought multiple adult natural resources education programs to Harrison County, including the Master Conservationist Program. Oliver has hosted the program for the past three years and was able to triple attendance between years one and two. He also hosted the first annual Master Conservationist Program alumni statewide meetup this past September.

In addition to his work with Water Rocks!, WHEP, and the Master Conservationist Program, Oliver has helped to design a new program on prescribed fire for landowners, which was attended by participants from multiple states.

“Western Iowa has had multiple large wildfires over the last few years and having landowners who understand fire is valuable,” said Torneten. “The program was created to educate landowners by providing insight on creating burn plans, understanding the role of weather, and covering the tools of the trade.”

For more information on ISU Extension and Outreach’s Harrison County office, including upcoming events, visit them online.

Oakland, Iowa –  Officials with “United Today, Stronger Tomorrow” and Concerned Citizens of Pottawattamie County, say that on Monday (Nov. 13th), dozens of rural Pottawattamie County residents met at the Oakland Community Center to discuss how they might work together to tap new federal funding focused on rural infrastructure. Throughout the town hall, residents steered away from divisive national politics and instead focused on the issues hyperlocally; issues that they might have a greater impact on and influence in addressing.

There were the most common themes that arose as they always do; roads and bridges, rural healthcare, clean water.  Shawna Anderson, a small business owner and resident of Oakland, said, “I was very happy to see such a good turnout in Oakland. The issues brought up were, as expected, totally different than those issues folks in the city face. Water is a big issue. Both access and keeping it clean. Internet access and cost was also brought up. Things that people in the city just don’t even realize are a problem for those of us in the county.”

And when county residents got down to the very specifics of issues, they were often met with a lot of consensus:

One attendee brought up Treynor’s large wastewater management project currently underway, but noted that it might be hard to meet the total cost needed – almost $5 million – from the current tax base of Treynor’s approximately 1,000 residents.  A boon for these communities may come from better understanding the opportunities in the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure funding and the Inflation Reduction Act, and how rural communities can take it upon themselves to tap these new resources and funding.

Another specific issue that multiple attendees spoke about was regarding access to clean water. Water restrictions are very common for those in rural parts of the county. The wellfield in Avoca is in danger of running dry, and some folks noted that personal wells have had the same problem. Although there is a plan to run water from Council Bluffs out to rural water systems near Minden, it isn’t planned to be ready to use until early 2025. Getting access to an alternate water source for these folks is of utmost importance, and could be addressed through the new federal funding opportunities discussed here.

An idea that is important to many who attended is that of local empowerment. During discussion on the topic, Ellen Garaffa, who lives in Treynor said “The library in Council Bluffs used to have a person who would train people on writing grants… sounds like that would be worth pursuing… We should ask them to go back to providing that service.” Immediately the whole room sounded in agreement. If folks can learn how to write grants, they become empowered to bring money into their rural communities themselves.

United Today Stronger Tomorrow and Concerned Citizens of Pottawattamie County, moving forward, say they will work together with rural communities to identify opportunities in these new federal policies to address their local priorities and needs.  A plurality of attendees agree that they are untrusting of state and federal elected decisionmakers to deliver what they need, and also believe that community members would do better working together to get these things addressed by applying pressure on local elected leaders to seek solutions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.